Space

It was still in the time of ancient things when a girl would walk out into the forest and go searching for her song. She was told by her grandmother to find a tree that whispered in a voice she remembered. She would walk to that tree. Kneel down beside it, and she would knock […]

I have been meeting a friend at our yoga studio once a week, and it has turned into a ritual. I look forward to that day, one I know always brings laughter and inspiration. As I opened up to her at the end of the class and complained that, often, my evening practice was the […]

“THIS IS LOVE: TO FLY TOWARD A SECRET SKY, TO CAUSE A HUNDRED VEILS TO FALL EACH MOMENT. FIRST TO LET GO OF LIFE. FINALLY, TO TAKE A STEP WITHOUT FEET.” – RUMI Rumi is always right. We’ve been home alone, my husband and I, since Sunday night. The house is dead. No noise or […]

Mind is potent. What we think, what we say, creates our experience of reality and defines our quality of life. Buddhist wisdom tells us that our natural state is fluid, supple, and clear. Why then do we sometimes feel solid, opaque, and stuck? We can look closely at ingrained patterns of thinking for insight. Buddhist […]

Today I ask for Lightness in body May my cloak of perception fall away Ease in breath May my energy flow freely on the vast vessel of my breath Softness in mind May my abundant thoughts disperse and give way to spaciousness Vibrancy in spirit May my limiting veil of uncertainty fall in love with […]

This body is a landscape, life wants to inhabit every inch of. Surrender to the seasons that claim her, the sweet death and glorious birth, every time, she is brought back home, to the stillness of her form. The black hole in which she rests, the unseen forces that she offers her trust. A tornado […]

Dear Meditation, When we first met during my travels in Thailand, I never expected you would change my life the way you did. I know, it hasn’t always been easy, and I sometimes (often) take you for granted. But if there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that you’ll always be there for me […]

Yoga heals. After a brush with death in my thirties, Yoga’s healing magic is what moved me to teach. I’ve had such profound experiences in this realm that when I had reconstructive surgery on my foot late last year I was eager to get back to my mat as quickly as possible. But I can’t […]

Imagine for a moment, that you are a work of art; that each and every stroke, contour, line, shape, form, colour and movement was calculated just so. And imagine that your eyes were conjured with concise thought as portals to your inner landscape, your smile manifested from delight and delirium; your fingers and toes, thoughtfully […]

I do yoga in my jeans. Many mornings, as I meditate, my son crawls on me. He pulls up and buries his head in my chest as I attempt to take deeper breaths. He loves my chanting. He looks up at me and breaks into a grin, as I lean my forehead down to touch […]

Several years ago, while in college, I completed a semester abroad at the illustrious Cambridge University. With great naivety, I enrolled in a Shakespeare course. Within minutes of the first class, I knew I was lost. This was before cell phones, so I couldn’t instant message and ask for guidance. After one class, I mustered […]

I’ve never felt comfortable with all eyes on me, which has made for a very uncomfortable entry into teaching yoga. At first, everything was personal. I discovered very few people smile when doing yoga. They appear everything from bored to angry. I took this as a direct reflection of my teaching and let it stop […]

it’s hard to believe that this pain is meant to be that the fear i feel is part of a greater plan to shape me into something that couldn’t be without it the absence of words and creativity is illusionary temporary i am currently the creation morphing into someone that i can’t yet see Photo […]

California, Costa Rica, Aruba, Ireland; these are few places I’ve been fortunate enough to have explored. They allowed me to leave my troubles at home, while offering beautiful landscapes. However, there is one place I explore daily that is unlike the rest: my vast internal vista. A place inside my mind where stillness awaits and […]

Living with the feeling of unease. That’s where I’m at now. Sitting here with my son asleep on me. His weight a grounding. A comfort. I do my day. Play with my kids. Run errands. Get the bills paid. I take care of me. Practice yoga on the mat. Sit in meditation. Talk to friends. […]

Thank you Elena for the inspiration and for always paving the way by showing up first. 1 year of meditating. 365 days of showing up for self. Committing to self care. Inviting in spaciousness and peace. Coming home again and again. To my true nature. My unique resonance. My Divinity. A Cosmic pause. Through joy, […]

I believe we will all be healed and made whole through love. Healing is the most beautiful thing we are capable of; watching a cut scab over and scar shows us the intelligence and resilience of this flesh we were born into. Yet we are never healed back to the same thing we once were. […]

I love this juncture in the year. As the leaves change colour and the fresh cooler air signalling Autumn breezes in, I find myself checking in with myself to take stock of where I’m at and where I am going. Something that has been a hot topic in conversation recently is self-compassion. It’s a big […]

I • A M • A • G O O D • M O T H E R You know what I never hear… I never hear women say that the are rocking motherhood. Which to me seems crazy given we are of course, raising humans! I know lots of mamas who are all… finding […]

We are here to remember our protected space. Know that you are protected in a circle, in a web of our interconnectedness. We are here to remember that there has been a master plan unfolding ever since that has brought us here – from your first breath, alive, awake – a shared dream to be […]

This seven-card spread feels like being back in my grandparents’ formative home space where I would see owls, foxes, occasional snakes, awe inspiring trees, landscape silhouettes, and even bird skeletons. The back yard was a golf course, on the edge of the woods, where you could follow the hill down to a creek. When it […]

What I know for sure is this: You are the Divine Universe bursting forth through you as you. I am the Divine Universe bursting forth through me as me. Everyone is the Divine Universe bursting forth through them as them. The question becomes this, Dear One: What would you say? How would you speak? If […]

Sacred space is one of the most important offerings we can deliver to our souls. When our soul feels safe, only then can we truly, fully and wonderfully show up for ourselves in the radiance of our worth and the magnitude of our calling. Sacred space can only be created when we’ve taken the time […]

I am Love. This body The embodiment. This breath An extension. Molecules move like cells In the vast ocean of this glorious. I reach out and tickle the stars: I tickle myself. New ideas give birth Every second My becoming. I expose the story Fear and not enough-ness that I may know what’s beyond. I […]

SPACE – When I hold you I feel empowered, present, excited, in control, alive, energised. SPACE – When I drop into you I feel surrender, freedom, stillness, peace, clarity, oneness. SPACE – When I breathe you I feel steady, grounded, assured, confident, trusting. SPACE – When I embody you I feel embraced, connected, clear, unaffected, […]

So there is this time on the eve of a baby’s birth that truly is like no other. For some mothers it is the early realization of the first signs of labor, for others it is long awaited after weeks of walking, eating pineapple and “trying” just about everything to help labor along. Some families […]

Yes! I want you in my life. Forever! When we first met, it was love at first sight. You made me feel so free, open and full. And I thought, it would be like this forever. The freedom, the openness, the fullness … every breath I took with you by my side was healing and […]

What if I dreamt and the universe watched? What if I danced with these dreams and the universe danced along with me? What if I bravely asked aloud and the universe heard? What if I listened for the answer with the eyes of my senses open wide and what if I acknowledged the possibility of […]

Slow down, sweet one and remember to simply pause. For what you’re yearning seeking desiring and questioning is already here. Patiently waiting delicately hidden beneath our outer edges within the spaciousness of the breath. Allow the sights, sounds and sensations of this very moment to fully have you. Invite the universal orchestra of all that […]

In September 2014, my second son -Thomas Knox (lovingly called Tommy or Tinker or both)- passed away of a sudden brain seizure. I have been writing about my grief journey openly hoping it will help others live in the present moment. This essay is about Tommy’s ashes and what they mean to me. But most […]

“Magic is just the art of changing the focus of consciousness at will.” – Robert Anton Wilson A wise woman reminded me, as she witnessed me in a moment of fury, to bless my own heart —to turn the entire experience upside down and use it as medicine. A reminder that a conscious change of […]

Business is THE most powerful force for change in the world. Period. There is no other force that has made a bigger impact on the course of history, our planet, and the human condition. And nearly every day I hear somebody – sometimes me – vilifying business. What do we do with this behemoth power? […]

You took my heart in your tiny little hands from the moment you existed in my mind. When I first held you close our bodies breathing together I felt a piece of my heart leave me to reside in you. The love I feel for you is so vast, so enormous there are no words […]

Recently Elena asked me to speak about my path to Kundalini Yoga and my offering of these teachings in the healing space of local Himalayan salt rooms. After discovering Kundalini Yoga while studying photography at FIT back in 2002, I’d take a weekly class to soothe my soul and alleviate my stress. It was the […]

In the tarot, water (cups) relates to the field of emotions, and the subconscious mind; earth (pentacles) relates to everything that is of the phenomenal world, in the yoga practice prakrti ; wind (swords) relates to our waking consciousness, the breath of life (Eakins, Tarot of The Spirit). It is the nature of the mind, […]

You know the space I speak of The quiet space within the heart The space where you feel timeless As you sit with silence Weightless It is a space of deep questioning It holds the most profound understanding It is the space of complete knowing Limitless ‘Within your heart both heaven and earth are contained’ […]

I rise to silence and an inky blue light I’m the only one awake in the world. Sitting on my mat I descend into stillness. My heart begins to speak louder than my head And a calm comes over my whole being. My thoughts slow, my breathing softens, My mind expands and I feel my […]

Praxis: the embodiment of theory and concept… how we are able to embody our practice… a union of (in this case) contemplative practice and daily life. Wittgenstein said that ‘the limits of my language are the limits of my mind’. I agree with him, not in the sense of amassing an enormous cache of vocabulary […]

I believe that eating mindfully is simply an extension of my yoga practice, off the mat. Yoga has taught me to be present, and to know that my body will feel different from one day to the next, and to listen to what it has to tell me. These lessons naturally extend to food and […]

May today we allow our lights to shine and be seen. May this clear and certain stream pour unapologetically through each and every window in this house we know as our body. May this revealed radiance inform and guide us in each moment, each interaction today. May we awaken our senses to the whispers of […]

One of the first things my teacher ever told me is that if I take really good care of myself, God will take care of the rest. Even though I didn’t even know if I liked her yet, let alone that she was my teacher, I decided to believe her. Self-care is one of the […]

My dreamcatcher in my own bedroom was created by this angel, Ewa. Here I’ve asked her just a few questions to help elucidate her practice, her work, her creativity and her creations. A little about you and your background; how did it all start? I’ve always loved Dreamcatchers since l was a little girl. I […]

Is the space between us as empty as it appears? There are no empty spaces within the body; everything interlocks together with its intelligent design. Like a beautiful jigsaw puzzle to be admired forever. With everything within inter-connected and inter-related in our bodies, how could we possible imagine that we aren’t intimately connected to the […]

There’s a meme that goes around once in awhile comparing “what I think I look like doing yoga” and “what I actually look like doing yoga”, drawing out both laughter and attention to our posture perfection obsession. I’m not sure you can ever stop taking “bad” yoga photos, though we’d have to check in with […]

How to Make an Altar Start with an empty space—a nightstand, a book shelf, an old telephone nook in the wall. Or maybe start with shells gathered from Morro Strand, river stones pocketed from Mt. Tamilpias, acorns and pine needles from 14016 Quail Run Drive where you folded white paper bags with your father, filled […]

Meditation and yoga have become part of my everyday life, Now, even when I don’t practice, I meet my day with an open and inquiring mind, and my practice has become my way of being and seeing now. The willow tree has been one of many symbols in my life in life. As a child […]

As I zipped up my luggage bag as I got ready to leave for a trip, I realized that I didn’t have anything with me to create a sacred space on my vacation. I ran back upstairs, grabbed an empty bag and looked around my sacred space in my meditation room, trying to decide which […]

Sometimes, sacred space is difficult, and I’ve turned my back on people in my life. There are those towards whom I feel negatively charged. Those whom I blame. In the world of yoga, there is much emphasis on letting go, surrendering, and forgiving. And yet, I’m not ready to do this right now. For me, […]

Before I became a yoga teacher, I assumed all yoga teachers were special – they’d figured it all out, and they were living the dream. They seemed to breathe a different air that the rest of us. Then, I became one. While I was able to refine some of my behaviors – most of the […]

My whole life people have always complimented how efficient I can be. Constantly multi-tasking; almost rushing. Rushing for what? After my first son was born I was reminded to ‘nap when the baby naps’ (for a first time pregnant mama this brought on an eye-roll). I thought ‘who the hell has time?’ I soon learned, […]

Janet Stone says mothering allows us to transition into the reality of what is available. Currently, my practice consists of 15min of movement and 15min of meditation in the am, then a 5-20min practice later in the day with “baby assists” – aka 2 boys that think “mommy jungle gym” is open. We all know […]

I love to travel – leaving the familiar routines, habits, and objects behind and taking only what’s necessary. When we leave the “stuff” behind and take only what is essential, a kind of alchemy occurs. There is a lightness and simplicity to our choices. We spend less time wading through clothing and adornments and we […]

One year today. (or more more like 365 days, 8765 hours, 3.156e+7 seconds) This picture always moves me. What’s that quote says… it’s not the length of life, but the depth of life? It matters HOW you lived. This picture summarizes Tommy’s life. Tommy’s soul was full. He was always content. I couldn’t believe it. […]

One of my yoga teachers once said medicate and meditate share the same root, except the side effects of meditation are peace, calmness, joy… and it’s FREE! Creating quiet time is as important as brushing your teeth in the morning before you leave the house; make it a part of your routine. Start your day […]

The “nature table”, or a sacred place of our own. My seven-year-old son is a devout admirer of nature: butterflies, stones, waterfalls, squirrels, birds – you name it – always capture his attention and find a place in his big little heart. His favorite animal used to be the shark, but more recently he has […]

My body feels different. My body looks different. Looking at it, it’s a whole new terrain. Moving inside it, there are new patterns, where there was firmness, there is now softness. Where there was strength, there is now a memory. But this is my body. It is strong, it is feminine, it is powerful, it […]

Marconi Union has released a new video for ‘Weightless Part 5.’ The release follows the immense success of previous video ‘Weightless Part 1’ (nearly one million views), hailed as the “most relaxing song in the world” by Time Magazine. The original song has been well received in the yoga community for its calming and tranquil […]

As somebody who carries anxiety from early childhood on, I have always created some sort of hideout subconsciously. I loved building forts. In there I could be myself, hidden, safe as if I were to savour the taste of my own soul, marinating in presence. Nobody could see me, it was just me, my breathing […]

I went to yoga the other day, after 5 weeks off. Being a teacher, that’s a long time. A pretty bad ankle sprain kept me from getting on the floor for about a month, so even my home practice was minimal. I had a crazy experience after that first class back – I got ‘Yoga […]

When I found myself in the throes of an extended, debilitating period of post-partum depression, a poet friend gifted me with the mantra “the long road”. This mantra was and is a reminder that I am not interested in short-term success, in unearned bliss, or in personal gain, but in living a life worth telling […]

I have traveled and lived in many countries, and been a foreigner in a place that I tried to call home. In each place that I lived I attempted to create sacred space in my home and my surroundings. In some places I felt effortlessly at ease, and in others it was not so easy. […]

A sacred space for me is a physical space that I have put great effort into assembling in such a way that it holds a spiritual significance to me. My definition of “sacred” is not a religious one, but it is spiritual and it guides my journey towards deeper meaning in my life. A sacred […]

Exploring anima, the commisure between earth & sky. A subtle reverberation of energetic intoxication within this vessel, the message is clear…be here now, while you let go of fear. Touching the soul, skin, fascia & bones with every exhaltation explore your unknown. Fluidity within the channels & gullys of our receptivity. Opening, surrendering, agree to […]

I am turning my back on uncertainty and taking some big steps back to get a running start and dive head first into everything that is possible. If you’ve been following along thus far, you may think I’ve already done this. // I did too //. I’ve come to realize that I’ve been doing this […]

When I found myself in the throes of an extended, debilitating period of post-partum depression, a poet friend gifted me with the mantra “the long road”. This mantra was and is a reminder that I am not interested in short-term success, in unearned bliss, or in personal gain, but in living a life worth telling […]

“Tolerance and compassion are qualities of fearless people.” – Paulo Coelho “Compassion and tolerance are not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength.” – Dalai Lama Is tolerance actually fearless? Is tolerance a sign of strength? I am inclined to say no. I suggest we aim higher. In western liberal societies, tolerance has […]

My sacred space is alone, either in nature, reading, or working on one of my creative endeavors. This is what recharges me. I grew up in an extremely quiet introverted family that played chess and scrabble for a “wild night”, with a rocket scientist father that claims to love numbers infinitely more than people. (Seriously, […]

As a yoga teacher and active member of my local and global yogic communities, I am always seeking to deepen my knowledge. This has lead me to some profound experiences, but it has also lead me to discover a branded yoga, a sexualized yoga, a fashionable yoga, and a yoga for “losing those stubborn 10 […]

As a yoga and meditation teacher, I am dedicated to supporting my students on their journey towards inner peace as well as mental and physical balance. There are many tools and techniques available, and it’s important to find the one that truly resonates with us. My mission is to help yogis prepare their bodies for […]

One of the first moments that I remember was lying midst mountains of white fluffy feather duvets and cushions, beside me my grandpa. Feeling loved and protected. Thank you, grandpa. Entering the ballet room. Being covered in this specific smell, the electric vibration, grace, movement and lyric. Every time I touch a ballet barre I […]

I am going to be honest. Honest with myself. Honest with you. Honest with the man that I am, and the man that I am nurturing. Of the man that I believe I am capable of being. I believe I am worthy of his highest. I believe you are too. And that is why I […]

pu·ja ˈpo͞ojə noun 1. a ritual in honour of the gods, performed either at home​ ​or in the mandir (temple)​.​ ​2​.​ ​a​n act of worship.​ 3. a place where worship happens. When friends come over to my home, they make their way around our small apartment and note how every shelf feels like an altar. […]

My sacred place is with my twin Sister. We were one split into two, we began our journey together in the most sacred place of all the womb. When we are together a sense of peace and being at home surrounds us. Through childhood each milestone and memory was built around each other and our […]

The Mother; she is the heart, the pulse, the everything and can be found nurturing all the different aspects of life. She is the life-giver and the reason we stand where we are today. Nuturer. Life-affirming. Giver. Powerful. The mother sustains us, both from the womb to the vast cosmos. She is everything we are. […]

How do you define Sacred Space? When we contemplate what a sacred space is, we often imagine a beautiful room of soft colors, inviting, warm, and inspiring. Or a beautiful space in nature, with a soft breeze and warm sun, with lots of green and blue surrounding you. But truly, to me, a sacred space […]

When my world has crashed and I can’t breathe, I tune in. I feel the pain fully. The disappointment runs through my veins. The sadness suffocates my cells. I create the sacred space here. My heart beating, my internal altar. A flame that never dies out, where I come to surrender, to dissolve. Can I […]

​”​[Sacred space] is an absolute necessity for anybody today. You must have a room, or a certain hour or so a day, where you don’t know what was in the newspapers that morning, you don’t know who your friends are, you don’t know what you owe anybody, you don’t know what anybody owes to you. […]

I love reminding my community that sacred space does not need to be limited to the confines of certain places. No matter where we are in any moment, we can create a sacred setting to perform the work of the soul. It can be quite simple to create sacred space, but I don’t mistake simplicity […]

Sacred space to me is a reflection of your spirit, of one’s heart. A sacred space isa welcoming place that is an expression of your “home” within. There is a feeling of pure devotion and coziness where you connect with your presence, and embrace your BE-ing. Within this vastness you navigate the practice of receiving […]

What is Scared Space? What is Sacred Space? Where is the place where you can access your higher self? Nature? God? Is it a place that can be defined? It is easy to think of an ashram or temple, or a mountain retreat center. Maybe depending on your upbringing, a stained glass windows and heavy […]

To me sacred space is everywhere we exist. Within ourselves we should carry this space and take it with us on all of life’s journeys. My sacred space lies within my heart and on the 100 acre farm that my family and I live on. Here we forage the land, explore the wonderous habitat that […]

Sacred Space is the cavern of discovery. Discovery is the awareness of Divinity Divinity is the encompassing expression of the whole Whole in body, mind and spirit A sacred space is a warehouse of opportunity. Its vastness allows for our growth and transformation throughout the seasons of our lives. The sacred space is contained within […]

Sacred Space Embodied It has been a long and incredible journey of healing to find comfort, space, and easeful movement in a body that has had 13 spinal vertebrae fused for correction of severe scoliosis. For years following my spine surgery, I definitely did not feel spacious. My body felt far from sacred. In many […]

The Crone; she wears her wisdom on her face, her choices, her mistakes, her joys, her struggles, her loves. It’s all present there. She beats to the drum of the Universe and to the wildness in her heart. Strong. Empowered. Real. Deep. The most amazing part of the Crone path, is each woman has an […]

The most sacred space that exists is in our minds. Take care of it, feed it, exercise it, and rest it. Before you get out of bed, your mind is awake, and fully present. Pay attention to your first morning thoughts, acknowledge them without judgment, analyzing, or reacting, and let them go. Using the breath […]

I recently returned from backpacking with my family through out the Southwestern region of Thailand. As we explored different cities and villages there became a very clear, unchanging element: the presence of sacred in daily life. It still brings a smile to my face thinking about the elaborate alters and offerings in the local businesses […]

If I close my eyes I can visualize my sacred home. It is bright, light and clean. Each item in my home was chosen because of it’s usefulness, or it’s specialness. There is space for my yoga practice. For my meditation. For painting, writing, making mala, sleeping, eating, loving. It is divine and it fills […]

As teachers, we have the opportunity to imbue a sense of pause, of otherworldliness and to rekindle the flame our students have with their true nature (as infinite beings), right in the beginning of a group sadhana or yoga class. The composition of this container of sacred space does not involve walls or floors; crystals […]

EVERYDAY I CHOOSE TO CREATE A DAY THAT FEEDS ME… HOW? First, I connect to myself through meditation feeling my sitting bones rooted at all times for at least 16 minutes, widening the back of my lower back, the back of my lungs, up towards the back of my heart, to the back of my […]

family… a warm welcome to my tree house where I roll my whole self out each day. being near the trees and up in the sky is both grounding and uplifting. I include everything in my practice, especially my loves: art, asana and music. this deity graffiti of the divine lovers radha and krishna is […]

Space. Such an intrinsic part to our being here on this planet. The more I travel, teach, connect and live more consciously I begin understand the sacredness of this in all parts of our life and daily movements. I am a huge believer that we are entirely responsible for the meaning we add to everything. […]

In Buddhism, we dedicate the merit and make auspicious aspirations to be kind and generous to others, at the end of formal practice…eventually this dedication and offering becomes innate as we go through our daily routines so we are making everything an offering. When I go to the grocery store I offer it up…may all […]

The idea of a sacred space in or around my home used to crack me up. With two small children, the idea of anything quiet and peaceful seemed like a faint memory. I started my asana journey when my first child was a year old. While she toddled around, I’d roll out my mat. I […]

We all need a sacred space to call our own, a place of serenity, a return to wholeness, a respite from worldly cares, a pure connection with the divine and the spiritual most cherished self. Each sacred space is a unique as the print of the finger and yet has a common thread of peace […]

Sacred Space can be felt through words, sound, imagery, movement, stillness… it is energy that you get to create and feel. Sometimes I need to create it for my own Spirit only. This might come in the form of a daily meditation or yoga practice with a mala, crystals, some oracle cards, a sweet altar […]

To create sacred space is to breathe life into the ever-shifting, eternally evolving dance of existence. Any place at any moment may become sacred, once it is gifted with the act of presence. Being a facilitator of sacred space requires a certain knowledge of Self, rooted in the ability to sit in a place of […]

Sacred space is twofold- it is first an external place that enhances and enables a connection to self, spirit, God, Goddess, and life itself. That place might be a house of worship, a yoga studio, home, or outside in nature. The second sacred space is that which is created, refined, and observed within the mind […]

I can sense it happening, a slight vibrational shift of energy at first; a hint of noise breaking through the silence. And then, all at once, it is here; unsettling anxiety, a deep contraction in my body. My first reaction is always the same. Change something. Shifting my external world will surely bring me happiness. […]

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This expansive, evolving​,​​ virtual home is for​ teachers​ worldwide​​, providing illuminating context and content for​ your learning and your life. At teach.yoga,​ together ​we witness and add to the beauty of our collective work​.